When I wrote the first installment of this series, I shared that I had stepped back into a coaching role for the first time in several years because I wanted to reconnect with the how behind our work.

I knew I'd get a closer look at the curriculum.

I knew I'd spend more time with participants.

What I didn't fully appreciate was just how much joy I would find in the experience.

As we entered the final weeks of the season, our team shifted from focusing on "I Can! Power" to exploring what it means to activate our "We Can Power."

And honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better example of what that looks like.

For their Community Impact Project, the girls decided they wanted to support the local humane society. After learning about pets available for adoption, they worked together to create handmade, bedazzled, and wonderfully creative signs to help showcase adoptable cats and dogs.

There was too much glitter glue. There were markers. There were plenty of opinions about design choices.

There was also teamwork.

The girls read pet profiles, shared ideas, divided responsibilities, and created eye-catching artwork that we hope helps connect some deserving animals with their future families. More importantly, they experienced what it feels like to work together toward a common goal and use their strengths to benefit others.

It was a perfect example of "We Can Power" in action.

At our final practice before the 5K, we took time to reflect on the season together.

Each girl received notes from her teammates sharing favorite memories, words of encouragement, and things they appreciated about one another. Those messages became keepsakes that could be tucked into journals and revisited long after the season ends.

Watching them exchange those reflections, it was easy to see how much had changed since those first practices in the STEAM room.

The girls who once hesitated to speak up were sharing confidently.

New friendships had formed.

Inside jokes had emerged.

A group of individuals had become a team.

And then, somehow, it was 5K day.

Before we knew it, thousands of participants, families, coaches, volunteers, and supporters had gathered in Verona for our Spring 5K Celebration.

One of the highlights of the morning was being introduced to so many parents, siblings, grandparents, and family members. Several girls eagerly pulled me over to meet the people who had supported them throughout the season.

One participant proudly told her dad that her coach was "famous."

I admitted that, as the local Executive Director, I might qualify as Girls on the Run famous for the day.

The real stars, of course, were the girls.

What I loved most were the smiles. The excitement. The pride.

I loved hearing participants tell their families about lessons they remembered and challenges they had overcome. I loved seeing parents beam as they talked about how much their child had grown throughout the season.

And I loved being reminded that while the 5K is a celebration of physical accomplishment, it also represents something much bigger.

It's the confidence to try something new.

The courage to keep going when something feels hard.

The ability to ask for help, support a teammate, and believe in yourself.

It's finding your happy pace, using your "yet shield," taking a breather when you need one, and discovering that you can do more than you thought possible.

As I close out this three-part series, I find myself incredibly grateful.

Grateful for a team of mountain-moving kids who welcomed me into their circle.

Grateful for talented co-coaches who show up week after week to create these experiences.

Grateful for a curriculum that continues to equip young people with skills they'll use far beyond a season of Girls on the Run.

And grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with the heart of our mission in such a personal way.

I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to coach again.

But this team gave me exactly what I needed: a reminder that the real magic of Girls on the Run isn't found in a statistic, a report, or even a finish-line photo.

It's found in the conversations, friendships, lessons, and moments that happen along the way.

The 5K may mark the end of the season.

But for these girls, I have a feeling they're just getting started.

Thank you for following along on this journey and for helping make experiences like this possible for thousands of girls across South Central Wisconsin. Together, we're helping girls discover that they can move mountains, and that when they work together, they can move even more.